Why Urban Farming?
The contemporary food system in the United States faces significant challenges, including food deserts, economic disparities impacting food access, and widespread nutritional deficiencies. These issues contribute to a growing public health crisis, characterized by a "tsunami of adverse health conditions both acute and chronic" [1]. Historical reports, such as the 1936 Report of the Senate Committee on Agriculture and Forestry, have long highlighted concerns regarding soil mineral depletion due to intensive farming practices, speculating on its potential link to health disparities [1]. Modern observations further underscore this decline, with topsoil depths significantly reduced compared to historical accounts [1].
Mecklenburg County, NC
Nearly 15 percent of Mecklenburg County’s population lives in what the U.S. Department of Agriculture calls food deserts — low-income communities where most residents don’t have access to a full-service grocery store or supermarket carrying nutritious food. That figure exceeds the national average of 11 percent and North Carolina’s statewide average of 13 percent.
“Population density probably has a lot to do with” the higher number, said Mecklenburg County Public Health Director Gibbie Harris. “If you look at Mecklenburg County, it’s mostly city. In rural communities, people can have gardens. People need cars to get around. They can get to the grocery store. County data shows that 64 percent of adults in Mecklenburg are either overweight or obese, the highest concentration of whom live in the low-income communities just outside of uptown. Those same neighborhoods tend to have higher rates of poverty, low education attainment, chronic disease and death. Officials say the lack of nutritious food in these communities is one of the leading drivers of those negative outcomes.
Organizing Partner
Food Deserts
In East Charlotte, there have been three grocery store closures in recent years these include Harris Teeter and Haniford Foods on the old Eastland Mall site as well as a Food Lion within five miles of this location. West Charlotte, specifically the West Boulevard and areas along Brookshire Boulevard, have faced a severe, 30-year food desert crisis, lacking a full-service grocery store which has forced a reliance on convenience stores and processed foods. Predominately Black, Hispanic, low-income neighborhoods in this region are miles away from fresh, affordable produce. The Beatties Ford Road corridor relies principally on one grocery store, Food Lion, but transportation remains an issue for the elderly and sick and shut in. Under the current administration many food deliveries programs such as Meals on Wheels have seen their funding cut or eliminated. Distribution of food is also a real issue for many.
North Charlotte, particularly areas along Statesville Avenue and the Historic West End is considered a food desert with residents needing to travel up to 30 minutes for fresh affordable food. The travel time is increased if the resident is required to take public transportation.
While complex, multifactorial problems of national relevance cannot be solved by simple community gardening programs alone, this proposal asserts that a well-designed, integrated network of biologically managed, expertly run, cooperative mini-farms and garden sanctuaries can model a viable solution set. This initiative, situated in Mecklenburg County, specifically Charlotte, NC, aims to mitigate the impacts of the aforementioned challenges by demonstrating a "next level community gardening" approach [1].